Our MFG Newsletter

 

 

Learning and Teaching @ MFG

Parent-Teacher-Student Conferences

We held our first Parent-Teacher-Student Conferences on Tuesday 6th March between 12pm and 7pm on the Main Campus of the College. Thank you to all of our parents and carers who made appointments.

There was a wonderful atmosphere and it was a very busy night. Our bookings were up by about 200 for this time last year and we hope that our improved engagement and communication with our Year 7 and new parents/carers was reflected in the increased bookings.

 Our teachers use the following maxim as the basis for how they prepare for and conduct the Conferences.

“BE HEARD”

Best intentions assumed

Emphasis on learning

Home–school collaboration

Examples and evidence

Active listening

Respect for all

Dedication to follow-up

Testing at MFG

In 2014 we started using a range of tests with our new Year 7 students – the main aim was to collect learning data about each student that we weren’t getting from the Primary Schools so our teachers could develop a better understanding of each student’s starting point. This now extends to any new students who start at MFG so that we can quickly develop a picture of what they can do and what they can’t do.

This testing also provides us with an opportunity to ‘screen’ and discover if there are any students who require further learning support and the need to apply for funding. 

Our Year 7 teachers have just had their students complete the ACER PAT Reading/Comprehension test and the PAT Numeracy test. Descriptions of these tests and their purpose are below.

Curriculum Committee Goals 2018

 

The MFG Curriculum Committee is composed of:

  • Each of the Learning Area Leaders (English, Humanities, Health and PE, Languages, STEAM, The Arts)
  • The Leader of Curriculum (Mr Greg Burgess)
  • The Leader of Parent, Carer and Staff Learning (Ms Joy Carr)
  • An Assistant Principal (Mr Damien Toussaint)
  • The Leader of Pathways (Ms Freda Wright)

This team has oversight of the College’s curriculum, which encompasses any new directions and the introduction of new subjects or electives through to new directions in teaching and learning.

 

This team has set the following goals for 2018 – all of which connect directly to our Annual Implementation Plan and our strategic direction and continue the work that was started in 2016.

Key Curriculum goals for 2018

 

  1. Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum: UbD, Victorian Curriculum and using the MF Standards to refine our curriculum
  2. Develop a Scope and Sequence: learning from Years 7-12
  3. Continuing to investigate sustainable Year 9 Program and the use of the 2 periods in 2019
  4. Promotional Event involving local primary schools
  5. Focus on Feedback and Success Criteria (rubrics)
  6. Teaching the Essential Vocabulary: Tier 3 vocabulary and how to teach it; a common approach/techniques
  7. Continuing to review the ‘curriculum pie’
  8. Reporting: CRLTs and Interim (progress) Reports; reporting on the Victorian Curriculum achievement standards/General Capabilities
  9. Refinement of Year 10 Exams; teaching revision practices
  10. Trialling of protocols during Learning Area meetings so that meetings are focused on student learning
  11. Trialling protocols to guide classroom observation

Open Day - Student Tour Guides

 

I had the pleasure of working with a select group of 20 students from Years 7-10 who were our Student Tour Guides on Open Day. These students were responsible for taking groups of prospective parents and students around MFG, point out specific things about the College as well as share their experiences as a student and learner at MFG.

 

They did an amazing job and the feedback from our visitors was amazingly positive. Thanks team!

 

Damien Toussaint, Assistant Principal, Learning and Teaching